Rail-joint.



T. B. STROTHER.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 27, 1914.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

A TTOR/VEYS THOMAS IB. STBOTI-IER, 0F CATHERINE, ALABAMA.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. Q, 1915..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, THOMAS B. STROTHER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Catherine, in the county of Wilcox and State of Alabama, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in rail joints, and has for its object to provide a simple inexpensive yet efficient means for connecting abutting rail ends, wherein the connection is so arranged that it will rigidly support the rail ends in alinement and in register, and wherein the connection will also prevent creeping of the rails with respect to the ties.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side view of the improved rail joint, Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a partial perspective view of one of the fish plates.

The present embodiment of the invention is shown in connection with the abutting ends of rails 1 and 1 the said ends being supported by ties 2 of ordinary construction, the joint between the rails being intermediate two adjacent ties as shown in Fig. 1.

The connection comprises a pair of oppositely arranged fish plates, each consisting of a body 3, shaped to fit against the web of the rail between the tread and the adjacent base flange, and the inner face of the portion 3 of each fish plate is grooved or recessed longitudinally as shown at 4, throughout its length so that the said body engages the web only adjacent to the tread and to the base flange, and the upper edge of each of the said portions is rounded as shown at 5, to lit the junction between the tread and the web.

The body of each fish plate is provided with a series of openings 6, the said openings being at the bottom of the groove 4-. Each fish plate. comprises inaddition to the body 3. a lateral extension 7 from the lower edge of the body which overlies the adjacent side of the base flange of the rail, and with a retnrnportion or inwardly extending base flange 8, underlying the adjacent side of the base flange of the rail and extending to a point flush with the adjacent face of the web of the rail.

The extension 7 and the base flange 8 of each fish plate are connected by an integral web 9, and the inner edge of each of the base flanges 8 is provided at each end with a depending lug 10, having a transverse opening 11. At the center of the fish plate, the base flange 8 is provided with a depending lug 12, of greater length than the lug l0 and provided with two openings 13 instead of a single opening 11. Between each lug 10 and the lug 12, the inner edge of the base flange 8 is provided with a series of depending teeth 13 the said teeth extending below the under face of the base flange 8 of the fish plate, and being adapted to engage and enter the material of the cross ties 2 as shown in Fig. 1.

Each fish plate is an integral structure, shaped to fit the web, the upper face of the base flange and the lower face of the base flange, and the base flanges 8 of the fish plates extend toward each other in such manner that the lugs 10 and 12 are spaced apart slightly from each other as shown in Fig. 2. Bolts 14 are passed through the openings 6 of the bodies of the fish plates, and through registering openings 15 in the webs of'the rails, and each bolt is engaged by the usual nut 16 on the outer face of the body of the opposite fish plate, washers 17 being arranged between the nuts and the bolts. Other bolts 18 are passed through the registering openings 11 and 13 of the lugs 10 and 12, and each bolt is engaged by a nut 19, a washer 20 being arranged be ween the nut and the adjacent lug.

The rails 1 and 1 are so arranged with respect to the cross ties that the joint between the abutting ends of the rails will be between two ties as shown in Fig. 1, and with the lugs 12 depending between the two ties. The lugs 10 are so spaced with respect to the lugs 12 that when the fish plates are placed as above described, the lugs 10 will be at the opposite sides of the cross ties. That is, the lugs 10 are spaced from the lugs 12 a distance slightly greater than the width of the cross tie, so that there is some clearance between each lug and the adjacent face of the tie.

A washer 21 is arranged on each of the bolts 18 between the adjacent lugs 10 and between the adjacent lugs 12, the said washers properly spacing the lugs, as shown in. Fig. 2. Since the upper edge of the body of each fish plate engages beneath the tread, while the lower edge rests upon the upper face of the base flange, and the extension 7 and the base flange 8 of each fish plate embrace the adjacent side of the base flange of the rail, the meeting ends of the rails will be perfectly braced against the base flange and against the ties, while at the same time the recessing or grooving of the inner faces of the bodies of the fish plates will impart a certain amount of resiliency to the bracing.

There is no possible chance for the rail ends to move laterally with respect to each other or to move vertically, the fish plates holding them firmly in alinement and in register. The teeth 13 of the fish plates sing into the material of the cross ties, thus locking the rails against creeping movement with respect to the ties and also locking them against lateralmovement with respect to the ties, or spreading. The lugs 10 and 12' will also assist in the prevention of creeping. The lugs 10 and 12 and the bolts 18 prevent any tendency toward spreading of those portions of the fish plates below the rails, the bolts by their engagement with the lugs holding the extensions and the base flanges 8 of the fish plates in proper posi tion with respect to the tie.

The base flanges 8 of the fish plates constitute a seat for the rail joint, extending across two ties, and since these portions are connected together, they are practically, so far as function is concerned, an integral structure, forming a firm, rigid seat for the rail ends. The improved joint incloses the rail ends with the exception of the top and the sides of the tread which must be unobstructed, and the weight upon the rail ends is evenly and uniformly distributed instead of being permitted to concentrate upon a single central; point as is the ease in the usual construction.

It will be noticed that the openings 6 in the bodies of the fish plates are six in number and arranged in such manner that three bolts will connect each pair of fish plates to each rail. The bolts of each rail end are evenly spaced from each other, but the adj acent bolts of the series are near together to correspond with the usual spacing of the openin s in the, ends. of the rails.

l The teeth 13 in addition to the functions above mentioned, perform the additional 7 function of assisting the bolts 18. When the teeth are embedded in the tie they take a lfarge portion of the lateral strain ofl the lugs 1012 and the bolts 18. The, improved joint differs in appearance but slightly from the usual construction, the lugs 10 -l2 and the teeth being beneath the joint. Hence the fish plates may be manufactured for ap proximately the same cost as the ordinary fish plates. The'ties 2 at the joint are spaced somewhat more closely than at other portions of the track in order to strengthenjthe joint, and the improved joint practically a tonaauousjoim, the arrangement being such that the rail ends strengthen the fish plates, and the fish plates strength the rail ends.

It will be noted from an inspection of Figs. 1, 2 and 8, that the integral connection 9 between the portions 7 and 8 of the fish plate is extended and may be notched or recessed if desired to receive spikes 21, for securing the rail to the tie.

I claim 1. A rail oint comprising in combination with the meeting ends of the rails and the ties upon which the rails rest, a connection comprising similar fish plates, each of the said fish plates comprising a body fitting against the adjacent side of the web of the rail ends and engaging at its upper edge the under face of the tread. and at its lower edge the upper face of the base flange of the rail at its junction with the web, each body being grooved on its inner face throughout its length and having transverse openings registering with the openings of the webs of the rails, each fish plate having a lateral extension at the lower edge of the body and overlying and fitting the upper face of the adjacent side of the base flange of the rail and having an inwardly extending flange fitting beneath the base flange and extending to near the center of the rail, each fish plate having at each end and intermediate the ends of the said flange a depending perforated lug and having a series of depending teeth between the lugs for entering the material of the adjacent tic, bolts passing through the registering openings of the bodies and the webs of the fish plates, nuts engaging the bolts, other bolts passing through the adjacent perforated lugs, nuts engaging the bolts, and washers on the bolts between adjacent lugs.

2. A rail joint comprising in combination with the meeting ends of the rails, oppositely arranged fish plates connecting the said ends, each of the said plates fitting against the adjacent web of the rail, the upper and under faces of the adjacent sides of the base flanges, and each fish plate having depending lugs at its ends and intermediate its ends beneath the base flange, the adjacent lugs of the fish plates being spaced apart from each other and having registering openings, bolts and nuts connecting the lugs, the bolts passing through the openings, and a washer on each bolt between the adjacent lugs, said fish plates having their inner faces grooved longitudinally throughout their length at the webs and having openings registering with the openings of the webs of the. rail ends, and bolts and nuts for connecting the fish plates and the rail ends, said bolts, passing through the registering openings, each fish plate having a longitudinally extending series of depending teeth between the intermediate lug and inner face at the webs each end lug below the rail base and adapted to engage the upper face of a tie.

rail joint comprising in combination with the meeting ends of the rails, oppositely arranged fish plates for connecting the said ends, each fish plate fitting the adjacent face of the webs and the upper face of the base flange, and having an integral flange extending beneath the base flange to near the center of the rail and forming with the flange of the other fish plate a seat for the rail, each of the said flanges having depending lugs at its ends and intermediate its ends, and having between the adjacent flange extending beneath the base flange to lugs a series of depending teeth for engag near the center of the rail and forming With ing the upper face of a tie, the lugs being the flange of the other fish plate a seat for adapted to depend between the ties and on the rail, each of the said flanges having dethe outer faces of the ties, means for clamppending lugs, and having depending teeth ing the fish plates to the webs of the rails, between the lugs, the lugs of the fish plates and other means for clamping the adjacent registering and having openings for en a elugs of the fish plates together, each fish ment by securing means. 5 b plate being grooved longitudinally on its rail joint comprising in combination of the rails. with the meeting ends of the rails fish 4. A rail joint comprising in combination plates embracing the rails at the webs and with the meeting ends of the rails, oppoabove and below the base flanges, said plates sitely arranged fish plates for connecting being spaced apart at their adjacent ed es the said ends, each fish plate fitting the adbeneath the base flange, means at the en ds jacent face of the webs and the upper face and intermediate the ends of the said edges of the base flange, and having an integral for clamping the plates together, and teeth ange extending beneath the base flange to intermediate the said clamping means for near the center of the rail and forming with engaging the material of a tie. the flange of the other fish plate a seat for THOMAS B. STROTHER. the rail, each of the said flanges having (18- Witnesses: pending lugs at its ends and intermediate its J. T. RUSH, ends, and having between the adjacent lugs C. W. TAYLOR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each by Washington, D. G.

a series of depending teeth for engaging the upper face of a tie, the lugs being adapted to depend between the ties and on the outer faces of the ties, means for clamping the fish plates to the webs of the rails, and other means for clamping the adjacent lugs of the fish plates together.

rail joint comprising in combination with the meeting ends of the rails, oppositelyarranged fish plates for the said ends, each fish plate fitting acent face of the web and the upper face of the base flange, and having an integral addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 

